J&K Polls: PM Modi Addresses Rally In Doda, First By Any PM In 42 Years. This Is What He Said

During a visit to Doda, Prime Minister Modi attacked the Congress, National Conference, and PDP, accusing them of damaging Jammu and Kashmir through "dynastic politics."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Jammu and Kashmir's Doda where he launched an attack on the Congress, National Conference and PDP and accused them of destroying the state through their "dynastic politics". "This time's assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir is between the three families and the youth of Jammu and Kashmir," PM Modi said.

"The political parties you trusted here did not care about your children. Those political parties only promoted their own children. Youth of J&K have been suffering with terrorism and the parties promoting 'pariwarwad' were having fun by misleading you. These people have never allowed new leaders to emerge anywhere in J&K. You also know that panchayat elections were not held here after 2000," PM Modi said.

In the first visit by a prime minister to Doda in the last 42 years, PM Modi told the people that he will "repay this love and blessings of yours" by working twice and thrice as hard for the people of the Union Territory and the country. "Together we will build a safe and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir and this is Modi's guarantee," he said.

PM Modi announced the work of the railway line going from Delhi to Srinagar via Ramban will be completed very soon. "The station is ready and the trial has also started," he said. 

What Omar Abdullah Said

National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah reacted to PM Modi's remarks and said, "When BJP needed help from these families (Abdullah and Mufti), then we were not responsible for the destruction of J&K. They (BJP) found nothing wrong in PDP when were in an alliance with PDP in J&K...They can find everything wrong with us during elections..."

"Tomorrow if BJP falls short of numbers, and PDP decides to help them, they will again find nothing wrong with the PDP. It's all a matter of time," Abdullah added.

This was PM Modi's first rally after the announcement of assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir by the election commission on August 31. PM Modi will also visit Srinagar on September 19. Voting for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election will be held in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1.